Many efforts have been made to maximize the use of storage space and particularly the storage space within clothes closets. Shoeracks, clothes hangers and other types of storage devices have been constructed to be mounted to the inside surface of a closet door in order to take advantage of space that is otherwise not used. The present invention is directed to a door mounted clothes hanger.
One of the principal problems with the known clothes hanging devices is that the space that is available is not used efficiently. Typically, articles of clothing are hung side by side on uniformly spaced hooks. Because the spacing between adjacent hooks is fixed, relatively thin garments are located farther apart than is desirable, and space is thus wasted. Conversely, large or bulky garments may be too close together and overlap with one another. This can make it difficult to remove one garment without inadvertently displacing an adjacent garment from its hook. Also, a number of bulky garments applied to the hanger can overload it and cause it to break.
In the latter respect, structural strength is a necessary feature that has been absent in many prior clothes hanging devices. While light weight is desirable for a number of reasons, adequate strength to avoid breaking during normal use is essential. It is typical for the hooks to be suspended from a rod or other support member which receives the entire weight of all clothes that are hung on the device. Consequently, the rod must have substantial size in order to be able to withstand the loads to which it is subjected. Similarly, each individual hook must have adequate strength to avoid breaking, and the connections between the hooks and their support structure must also be able to withstand the loads applied by the heaviest articles that may be hung on the hooks.